Cleveland Rep. Dennis Kucinich tests the waters in Washington state

[Meeker Morgan]

Cleveland Rep. Dennis Kucinich tests the waters in Washington state
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/07/cleveland_rep_dennis_kucinich.html

Snippet:

Slow population growth means Ohio will lose two congressional seats in 2012, and Republicans who control the redistricting process in Columbus are likely to target the districts of Democrats like Kucinich, who has served as a Cleveland mayor, city councilman, state legislator and congressman in a career that spans more than three decades.

To remain in Congress, Kucinich , 64, says he's thinking about pulling up those deep roots and relocating to Washington state, which is likely to have multiple Democrat-leaning seats without an incumbent when district lines are redrawn. To weigh his options, Kucinich has made repeated trips to the state, including last weekend's appearance in Seattle.

[Earth_First]

1. ::awaits the anti-kucinich pile on::

:eyes:

[MineralMan]

2. Why? Dennis Kucinich is an excellent member of Congress.

Nobody here thinks otherwise, I'm sure. It's when he is proposed as a primary candidate against President Obama that the criticism comes. He's tried that route, and failed miserably very early in the season.

I think he should stick to what he does best - representing a district in the House and being a strong progressive voice on most issues.

[iwishiwas]

3. yes.

[Zorra]

18. There are conservative DU members that seem to

hate DK because he is a progressive, and this is obvious from the content of their posts.

It is not because he ran in a primary against Obama.

It is because they promote the Third Way party and their ideology.

[brewens]

4. I'd like to see him in Spokane. Maybe not the best choice for

him though. He'd be better off on the west side of the state. East sider's would be more likely to use the Washington insider usurper attack on him.

If he were to find the right district on the west side, especially where the current Congressman is getting ready to quit, he might have it made. You can imagine he will shit in someone's mess kit though.

[Jazz Ambassador]

5. I forget: is carpetbagging progressive?

Just wondering.

[MineralMan]

6. It could be, but it's usually not a very successful campaign

strategy. Kucinich may have a tough row to hoe if he tries this.

[Dan]

7. I agree,

He is not from the state - and the idea of an outsider shopping for a district to represent - probably won't go over well in the district, within the state.

[MineralMan]

8. Yup. Congressional races are local things. People want history

from their candidates and a knowledge of local needs and issues. I think it would be a tough thing for Kucinich. He's not as well known nationally as people on DU seem to think.

[saras]

9. Much of the West side of WA would welcome him

The rural East - I'm not so sure.

But "carpetbagging" is such a profoundly inappropriate metaphor, and a really deep smear to anyone who knows the history of Reconstruction, that it seems like the corporatists are already out on this thread.

It would be a more appropriate term for the teabaggers who went to Northwest Washington in the last couple of decades, and their attempts to take over the school districts of Skagit County, and the attempt to break up Whatcom county into two or three counties. They did come with outside politicians, and outside money, for the express purpose of destroying the existing culture and stealing what they could.

But Kucinich as a carpetbagger - it's about as sensible as calling him a goliard.

[woofless]

10. He can come up here and challenge Rick Larsen.

I'll vote for him in a heartbeat.

[bluestate10]

11. Washington State has strong, homegrown democrats.

My one wish is that if Kucinich tries to get elected there to continue his ineffective Congressional career, Washington State voters will crush him.

[Zorra]

19. Yeah, the entire Third Way fervently hopes also. If DK

ran against a moderate republican in a general election, would you vote for DK or the republican?

Or would you not vote?

[WCGreen]

12. As my rep, I am disappointed that he will not at least try to keep the district

blue...

But then again, Kucinich is mostly about kucinich...

[bluestate10]

14. Your last words says it all. And many on DU worship the phony. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Good. He and McDermott would be a great team for Washington.

I live in a purple district that just elected an (R) after having a sometimes liberal (D) so he probably wouldn't do well here. But, there are districts that would likely welcome him.

[FLPanhandle]

15. Why, if he has such roots in the area, not run for election in the redistricted area?

Why if he is such a fighter is he running off to Washington state?

[bluestate10]

16. Because he isn't a fighter. They guy has gotten maybe two bills passed

during his entire Congressional career. He is nothing more than a sideshow. Let him run in Washington State, the voters there will kick his ass.

[NashVegas]

17. I Hope He Gets Clobbered If He Tries It

Washington state, as said above, already has a crop of strong progressives who don't act as sheep-herders for DLC-types.

If I lived there I'd do everything I could to start a local movement to convince Dennis to try and get elected in a redder state, where people need his help more.